Mormon Church

Personal Response by Steven

While serving as a Mormon missionary, I was often questioned as to whether or not we, as Mormons, were Christians. At first I did not understand why people would question the Christianity of a religion that bears the name of Jesus Christ in its title. I realized that we as members of the Mormon church, are quite different than members of most Christian churches in two main ways. We believe in a separate book of scripture to go along with the Bible (the Book of Mormon), and we believe that God continues to work through prophets in our time, beginning with Joseph Smith. I came to the conclusion that people must think that we are not Christians mainly for those two reasons. I wish to share a personal experience to show how these two beliefs led me to a strong belief in Jesus Christ.

When I was 14 years old, I was a pretty average boy involved in a few of the follies of the world. I would go to church every week with my family, but wouldn’t necessarily live the things I learned the rest of the days of the week. One week I was on a family vacation, and I just happened to open the Book of Mormon and start reading (this was not a common practice to me as a 14 year old). However, in the midst of my reading I came across a scripture that sunk deep into my heart.

Personal Response by Lance

On the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October, the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes casually referred to by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon” Church or the LDS Church), including the modern prophet and Twelve Apostles, speak to the world in what is known as general conference. From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City the words of the prophet, the apostles, and other leaders are carried via TV, radio, satellite, and the Internet to more than eighty countries and translated into more than eighty languages. We invite everyone, regardless of religious belief, to join with us in watching or listening to general conference.

The reason I love general conference is best described by the opening words of one of the Church hymns, “Come, listen to a prophet’s voice, And hear the word of God” (“Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice,” Hymns [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985], no. 21).

Personal Response by Lance

I served for two years as a Mormon missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) in Mississippi and Louisiana. It was the greatest experience of my life. I loved sharing the gospel with the people of the South because so many of them have deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They were very kind to us missionaries coming to their door. I cannot count the number of people who let me into their home, as a complete stranger, to share what I believe. I learned that “southern hospitality” is very real and I believe it is because the people have good Christian values. There were also many people who turned us away but even this was usually done politely.

Absolutely! Mormons believe that it is self-evident, through their core doctrines, practices, and commitment to Jesus Christ, that members of The Church of Jesus Christ, are Christians in the truest sense.

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.[1]

Like other Christians, Mormons believe Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God. Their everyday lives are centered in Him. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” [Romans 8:16]. Christ, however, was the Only Begotten in the flesh, and Mormons worship Him as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. Mormons believe in His infinite atoning sacrifice and literal resurrection, and that “salvation is everlastingly in Jesus Christ.”[2]

Personal Response by Stephen Robinson

If Christian means that a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) believes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, Savior of the world and the only name by which humanity can be saved in eternity then it is simply a matter of record that Mormons are Christians because they believe these things. The oft-heard claim that Mormons are not Christians comes from denominations who define Christian very narrowly usually to include only themselves and to exclude most other. Thus many Catholics would deny that Protestants are proper Christians and vice verse. Seventh Day Adventists were accused of being non-Christian by evangelicals until the early twentieth century.

What is usually meant that Mormons are not Christians is that Mormons are not “our kind of Christians.” It is a historical fact that Latter-day Saints believe the New Testament and worship Jesus Christ. However, they are not traditional, historic evangelical or Orthodox Christians. Non-Christian religions, such as Islam and Judaism, consider Latter-day Saints to be Christian because they accept and worship Jesus.

Mormons accept the entire the New Testament, including Jesus’ tolerance of non-standard preachers in his own day, “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us” (see Luke 9:49-50).

In the end only the individual Latter-day Saint can answer such a questions because Christianity in any denomination it is a matter of personal faith in and commitment to Christ.

Stephen E. Robinson, Are Mormons Christians? (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991).

Personal Response by Karen Merkley

I have to say that I marvel that Mormons’ Christ-centeredness can be so under-received or unknown, but then shouldn’t really, because Christ himself was misperceived. In the wheel of Christianity, Mormonism is the hub. We are centered in a true knowledge of Christ and the fulness of His gospel.

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